APE|MEN – “Zero”

Last week, the industrial post-punk trio APE|MEN, hailing from the “southeastern fringe of the European Union,” released the five-track Zero EP. Until now the members of APE|MEN maintained a relatively low profile, aside from opening for acts like The Prodigy and Stereo MCs. They cite bands like Nine Inch Nails, Beck and Panda Bear as having influenced their sound, which might be described as post-grunge or future noise. The Zero EP is a relentlessly heavy collection of songs, but the EP’s title track, the last song on the release, is a clear standout. Those surging basslines and funky guitar licks, coupled with frontman Bobby Cheshirkov’s powerful vocals, sound somewhere between David Bowie and Talking Heads of the late 70s.